Gubernatorial bets promise better Samar province

CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, April 1 (PNA) –- Candidates for the highest elective post in this impoverished province have launched their campaign with the incumbent promising sustainability while the challenger is offering transformation.

Samar Governor Sharee Ann Tan, who is seeking a fresh term, vowed to continue addressing poverty that has been hounding the province for several years now.

“Ever since, poverty has been a problem of the province and I am not denying it. The reason why we are pushing several programs is to alleviate people from this menace,” Tan added.

However, she was quick to say that poverty cannot be solved overnight considering the long process to eradicate it.

Tan called on all the officials of the province to be one with her in giving better service to the people. "We have to be united,” she said.

“I am even calling private citizens that instead of just being observers, and critics, to be pro-active and share their efforts in the development of the province” Tan said.

The governor belongs to the Nacionalista Party, but is supporting presidential candidate Mar Roxas. She is a member of Samar’s Tan political clan. Her mother is Rep. Milagrosa Tan while his brother is the governor. 

All of them are seeking re-election in this year’s polls.

Gubernatorial bet Emil Zosa of the ruling Liberal Party, promised a transformation once elected as chief executive.

“Our campaign kick-off marks the beginning of a political revolution to transform our province economically, politically, socially and environmentally. Enough is enough. Samar and its government belong to all people here, and not to handful corrupt politicians,” he told supporters.

Zosa is a graduate of class 1991 of the Officers Candidate School (OCS), Philippine Army. He served as the military intelligence commander of the Philippines to Middle East. His wife, Gemma is the mayor of Sta. Margarita town.

In 2011, Zosa was reported as one of the two military intelligence officers who disclosed to senators the names of officials who ordered to wiretap the phones of several officials, including former President Gloria Arroyo and poll commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, during the 2004 elections.

According to the National Anti-Poverty Commission, poverty incidence among families in Samar from 2006 to 2012 is pegged at 43.5 percent, the 10th highest in the country.

“This type of economy is not what Samar is supposed have. This has be changed,” he said.

Zosa is wooing voters with a promise for better programs on jobs generation, education, health care, environment and tourism. “We know we can create more jobs when we have healthy and well-educated workforce.”

The two candidates will reach out to 490,421 registered voters in Samar province, representing 18 percent of the 2,698,880 voters in Eastern Visayas region.

Samar is the largest among the three provinces that comprise Samar Island, the third largest island in the country. It is composed of 24 towns and two cities, Calbayog and Catbalogan. It has two congressional districts and has a total of 951 villages. (PNA)
LAP/SQM/LIZBETH ANN ABELLA & JAZMIN BONIFACIO/EGR